Ophthalmic telebinocular with ortho trainer



Dec. 13, 1949 l H. s.A ALEXANDER 2,493,242

vOPHTHAI-IMIC -TELEBINOCULAR WITH ORTHO TRAINER Filedoct. -les, 1948 .4sne'ets-shee 1 iwi/11111;;

FRONT REAR 'INVENTOR BY y I ATT'ORNEY Dec. 13, 1949 H. s. ALEXANDER OPHTHALMIC TELEBINCULAR WITH ORTHO TR-AINER 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Oct. 16, 1948 :I In 1.!

aNvEN-rn g/mmm @inw MXLUCRNEY Dec# 13 1949 H. s. ALEXANDER 2,49L242 OPHTHALMIC TELEBINQGULAR WITH ORTHO TRAINER Filed oct. 16, 1948 4 sheets-sheet :s

1 i0 Il l 6k .@-ao

INVENTOR A oRNEY Dec. 13, 1949 H, s, ALEXANDER 2,491,242

OPHTHALMIG TELEB-INOCULAR WITH ORTHO TRAINER Filed oct. 16, 194e v 4 sheets-sheet 4 PRISM I/GPI'ER INVENTOR ATTORNEY Patented Dec. 13, 1949 UNIT-'Eo STM PATENTE' osFiF 11C s OBHTHALMIC .TELEBINOCULAR- WITH ORTHO TRAINER Harry'S.- Alexander, Meadville, Pa., assignor to'y KeystonefViewuCompany;Meadville; Pa., woor-- poration sof 'L'Bennsylvaniar The object of this invention is'to-provdeagenerally improved stereoscopic' visionA training and vision testing instrument embodying lcertain novel features of design; construction'ancl'opera'-l tion whereby to provide amore eminent; accurate and convenient instrument" for" the use by Ophthalmologists; their" assistants andA technicians, and 'other' specialists 'in'the'v art' of Ttraining and vtesting'visualabilities.'

The invention is embodied in' ant instrument known as an ophthalmic'telebinocular with'orthc trainer. The. instrument' comprises an' optical assembly heachan ortho'trainer'anda' testing head. The optical assembly'head ismounted on a supportingstandlandcarries two-parallel shafts upon which either the ortho trainerror the vtestfing head may be mountedinoptical operative relation to theassembly head'for vision'training and, vision'testing purposes@ Y The ortho. trainer isa' device"v used mainly inw training to maintain' agconstant'horma'lrelation between accommodation andconvergencef-at all distances, or to give .certain variantsfrom this normal relationship as` may 'be needed'in'special cases, and' for other 'visiontraining' purposes; The testing head'is 'adaptedg'tocontaincards 'or targets useclmainly for" testing visuali abilities; However, the uses of tlieortho` trainer'and'of'lthe testing head overlap to some" extent; Testing may be done 'with'the ortho trainer andtraining maybe done. withzthe. testinghea'd;

The optical assembly with the'ortho.trainer;- or with the testinghead; forms'an upperstructure which is supported' on the stand" so'as to` be raised and 'lowered Yto suit'the positionof `the 'subi-1l ject undergoinga test; One'of'the'ob'jects'oizthe invention Vis to` provide an improved optical .as-f Sembly head havinga edbpticalens system for viewing the cards or targets'mounted either in the ortho trainer or in the testimg;v head: The lens. system includes meansv for. supporting auxiliary llenses' inA adjusted' position `with reference to the eyes'of tljle'subj'ect Another feature is theV provisionv of an lamp .for -illuminatingthe eyesv of the sub'j ect'for` observatiombythe operi:- ator, either directly' or'by re'ectedight The' ortho'traineris-agdviceeln` therm ofia split 'slide'holden' It is"adapted'tocontain'trans parent targets'whiclrare'used 'when-depth? apprei ciationrequires'ernphasis duel to thecharacterof the target, ,or 4to"tlie'correcti'on requirements of the subject. For example; -transparentf targets are designed'according to'definite:lawsi'governng size-j constancy',I tlratils'iv thezsize-xoffthe' object-or regard* in^ each* instance lis" appropriate for"l 2f'v position it' occupies-inthe'leld andthe distance to be considered'in'eaeh' instance; Transparent targets provide 'for `the"appropriate sequence" accoi-ding" tofinstructionj made duringthe testsi The transparent targetsare 'illuminated by trans'- inittedlight. In other casesl opaque' targets Vo'r cards maybe-'used They are illuminated from the optical assemblyfhead.

Another object is to'provide-novelmeans for operating the :ortho' trainer'- 'to provide for cone' vergenceand accommodation-either jointly, or one without the other.-

Other' objects' of the invention 'are'to' improve generallyv the construction of' 'the instrument-with respect to' ease L of" operation, adjustmentof various parts; changes fromv one 'type of' i'fargetY to another type; ancleease'vin'v raising and' lowering the rather heavy; overhea'dstructure', and 'the like".

With the above-andother objects in View' the invention isv embodied in an` ophthalmic telebinocular withortho traineri as hereinafter cle-l scribedand as illustrated in the"l accompanying drawings "in which' f Fig. 1 is a small diagrammaticf'view ofjtlie in; strument' seen vfrom above.

Fig.` Z'is -aside viewA of "the yinstrument with the optical head :assembly in section' on lthe line 2f2 of Fig; 3,' andiwith' the ortho trainer in'section on the line 3"-3'off1i`g.'I 6% Fig. V3 is a front View of` theoptica-l head assembly.

Fig. 4 is a rear-"vievv'thereof looking in' the direction of thearrow-'l inFig: 2;

Fig. 5 is af'front'vievv of the ortho trainer'looking in the 'directionofthe-arrow'5l-in Fig. 2, and with Vparts insection on'the lir1e'5i5"`of Fig. 6j

Fig. 6 is a horizontal sectional view of the ortho trainer'on' the" line B'i-i-ioifFig. 5*'and' looking downv upon the operating" mechanism;

Fig'. '7' isa fron-tk View of the auxiliary lens holder.'

Fig;` 8- is asectiona'lview thereof on the-lin 8i-8 of Fig: 7."

` Fig.' 9 is'a 'plan view ofthe testing head.

` Fig.V 10 is a sectional view thereof on the line andiwltlrreierence 'to` a.u scale'll 1. I

The stand, Fig. 2, comprises a hollow base I8 having a xed pivot screw I 9 upon which an arm is pivoted so as to be raised and lowered with respect to the stand. The free end of the arm carries a rotatable short shaft 2| pinned to a crank 22. The lower end of the crank is pivotally connected to a dog leg link 23 which lies inside the hollow arm and extends downwardly into the base I8 wherein the link passes through and is pinned to a fixed pivot 24. A counterbalancing spring 25 is secured between the lower end of the link and the base, as shown. The spring is ar ranged to counterbalance the weight of the arm 20 and the upper structure of the instrument which are carried by the arm. The latter is frictionally held in the base upon the screw I9 which may be tightened by a hand knob 26 so as to clamp the arm closer to the base.

The arm" 20 has an integral quadrant 28 within the base.

When the arm is raised above the base it may be locked in any raised position by a clamping screw 21 which engages the quadrant.

When the arm 29 is raised, the shaft 2| is rotated counterclockwse by the combined action.

of the crank 22 and the link 23. When the arm is lowered the shaft 2| is rotated clockwise by the same elements. The arrangement is such that irrespective of the vertical movements of the arm and the parts carried thereby, the parts will at all times be maintained in their angular positions relative to the base. For example, Fig. 2 shows the arm raised above the base. If the arm is raised or lowered from the position shown the head assembly I3 and the ortho trainer I6 will maintain their relative positions with respect to the base as these positions are shown.

The optical head assembly is contained within a housing 30 which is carried by the aforesaid shaft 2| by means of two pivot lugs 3| underneath the housing. The shaft passes through the arm 20 and the lugs 3|. A screw 32 with a hand knob 33 is screwed through one of the lugs and into the shaft to lock the head assembly to the shaft 2| in any desired position.

Usually the head assembly will be locked to the g...

arm in a position in which the shafts I4 and I5 are horizontal in any elevation, but some operators prefer to tilt the head assembly because they consider that the most usual position of the human head is slightly bent forward. One of the pivot lugs 3| has a stop lug 34 adapted to engage a stop screw 35 on the arm 20 so positioned that when the arm is raised to its Lipper position and the lug 34 is against the screw 35, the shafts I4 and I5 will be in their horizontal position ready to be locked into place by tightening the screw 32.

The housing 30 supports a fixed optical lens system consisting of a pair of lenses 36, 36 corrected for color and spherical aberration Aand arranged so that iniinlty is approximately 200 millimeters distance from the lenses and th'e reading distance is about 131 millimeters.v The lenses form a xed optical system requiring no interpupillary adjustment. The lenses are carried in removable lens holders 31 screwed to the front wall 38 of the housing. The latter also forms forwardly extending side cheeks 39 to exclude side lights from the eyes of the subject. The latter rests his head against a head rest 40 above the lenses, and between the lenses there is mounted a small electric lamp 4I for illuminating the eyes of the subject. The lamp is controlled by a switch 4I a, Fig. 4. Y

The operator will usually takea position in' which he can look directly into the eyes of the patient over the ortho trainer to observe the movements of the eyes during the test or training exercise. Or the operator may find it more convenient to observe the eyes of the patient by reiiected light and will then lift a pivoted mirror 42 by means of a knob 43 on the left side of the housing, Fig. 4, so that the light of the lamp will strike the mirror which will then reect the eyes of the patient. The knob 43 is connected to the mirror by a crank 44.

The housing is open in the rear wall and carries a iixed shield 45 having two large openings 46 alined with the lenses for framing the targets for near viewing. The shield is provided with a septum 41. Adjacent the fixed shield there is pivoted a movable shield 48 having two smaller openings 49 for framing the targets for far viewing. The shield 48 may be lifted out of the way by a knob 50. The housing is open as at 52 to permit the light from the overhead lamp 5| to illuminate the targets. The shafts I4 and I5 are secured in the housing 30 as shown at 53, Fig. 2. The scale I1 is'mounted on a scale support 54 xed to the housing, Fig. 3. The lamp 5| is controlled by a switch 55.

The ortho trainer, Figs. 2. 5 and 6, comprises a base 6I! on which two split slide holders 55 are mounted for relative .transverse movement. The shafts I4 and I5, and the scale support 54 with the scale I1 pass through the base 60. The latter carries a glass plate 6| with a scale mark 62 for registry with the scale I1. The latter is in known manner calibrated in diopters for far point and near point viewing. The calibrations are not shown in detail but indicated at 63, Fig. 1.

The two split slide holders are alike except that one is right hand and the other left hand. Each holder consists of a housing 65 formed at the bottom with a foot 66 which extends downward through an opening 61 in the base, see Fig. 5. Within .the base there is screwed upwardly against the foot a rack plate 68, one for each slide holder.v Each rack plate is provided with a rack 69 and is held upward against the underside of the base in sliding engagement ywith suitable supporting members 8|) upon which the rack plates slide and rest.

The racks 69 are engaged by a pinion 10 secured to a vertical shaft 1| by a set screw 8|. The shaft extends below the base 60 and to its lower end is secured a knob 12 by a set screw 82. When the knob is rotated by the operator the pinion 10 causes the rack plates with the slide holders thereon to move towards and away from each other, respectively, depending upon the direction of rotation of the shaft. This movement (convergence) may be executed atfany point or position of the ortho trainer relative to the lens assembly.

The slide holders may be operated longitudinally towards and away from the lens assembly (accommodation) by means of a large gear 15 which engages a rack 14 on the shaftv I5, Fig. 5. The gear is secured to a sleeve 16 by a set screw 83. The sleeve extends through abearlng plate 18 and to the lower end of the sleeve is secured, another knob 11 by a set screw 84. When the knob 11 is rotated, the gear 15 engages the rack 14 and the entire ortho trainer is then moved longitudinally upon the shafts I4 and I5.

The two knobs 12 and 11 may be locked together by a screw 19 and when thus locked and. rotated the ortho trainer will be operated for comannua 5 binedf convergence f f and accommodationr moves ments.. 'Ihe longitudinal movement? may* be stopped at any time; the screw-19 loosened to dis-4 engage-the knobs, and menthe-knop I2- lrotatedseparately toy operate1-the-pinion 10.1'

The housing '55 supports a ground glass; 815 'held' in place bye-glass holder 8B;v Light from anoverg headlamp Sl 'is reflectedI fromitheii'nside-fofthe housing towards the ground glasstoy illuminate transparent slides, not 1 showminsertedh l in the groovess; Fig. 221 Theiinsid'e of: thehouSingLGi will preferably fbeA suitably` coated'fto rre'flecttlfie light ifromfzthe :lamp: The: 'lamp sockets: sare rotatably held in the housing by thumbfscfews SO-.solthat the illumination-for eachrslide 'holder may be adjusted.:

Each lamp' Sluisseparately controlled-hyena switch 9| andthe wiring'diagramirs Fig; l1 shows the wiring from the fthreewire-push. plugsfSZ-,L 92l to the lamp viathe'switohes; The .incomingrsupe ply wires aremarked 93; Wlrienopaqueitatgets; not shown, are placed in the grooves .88 :the lal'nps 81 are extinguished. and .the slidestheriiillumi-f. nated from the lamp-.5I inthe-'optical head'assenre bly. The convergence movements." of." 'she'.fsplt slide targets in: the-slide holderssareiin manner measured' andzreadf. against aistransverse scale 95 marked for near pointandiarpointreadal ing. The wires tothe lampsrpass tri-rougir operi-1::-

ings fin thefeet"5ioi2the housings as shown on the left hand side of Fig. 5 so as to follow the transverse movements of 'the-.slide holders.

The vision testing. head-93 isushownfi-n .liga-v` 9 and 10. When it is to be usedf theortho trainerc is removed from the shafts I4 `and`|5, and the i,

testing head placed upon the shafts. The head comprises a base IBD with bearings I| for mounts ing upon theshafts I4 andJEp4 The base .carries at the rear atransparent plate |02havinga mark |93 lfor registry with the longitudinal scale I. A card magazine |64 is mounted on top of the base I and is adapted to contain the testing cards, not shown.

The magazine is formed with side grooves |05 in which a single card is'placed for testing exercises. If the operator desires to use split cards for testing purposes, such as are designed for use with the ortho trainer, the two halves of such split card are placed in a groove |06 and held in position by upright hooked members |01. A split card |08 is shown in Fig. 10. The groove |06 is formed between a ange |39 and a scale Ill) secured to the base. The graduations on the scale are marked in diopters for infinity and near point reading, as indicated. Other training cards may be placed directly in the front of the magazine and the distance between such cards and the lenses are set to requirements oi the case and not to standard measurements. The testing head is moved by hand on the shafts I4 and I5. It may be xed in any longitudinal position by a screw I2 which is brought to bear against the shaft I4.

If the condition of the eyes of the subject requires the use of additional lenses to be placed in front of the Xed lenses 36, an auxiliary lens holder is used, Figs. 7 and 8. The holder consists of a flat support I I5 having an overhanging ange III with positioning pins ||`I, side guides ||8 and springs IIS. The support has lens openings provided with circular grooves I2| in which are rotatably mounted lens frames |22 formed with forwardly projecting lens cups |23 of semicircular form. The lens cups have grooves |24 into which auxiliary circular lenses, not shown, may be inserted and held in position by springs |25.

'mier-iattermave protruding-ends prongs 12%.

which engage the circumferencee--the lens in the cup# 23? The support* -`I #5 fis v'provided with circular scales |521 'ffor Y each Vlens opening.V The scales'kv read in `delgna'esfrnot-shown.v

auxiliaryifienssupport may be placed operativepositiens'iniovenand 4iront of the permanent Tiens- Vholders 23T, Figs. 2 fand 3,3 andv therripushed inwardly/,so that "thelpins H1 snap inte-sockets 13W in the holders @TL and the springs Hl'ienefagethe underside.. oiuth'e latter. The side guides e i t8 serveI toe-.guider .the attachment "inte place. Vthe:rdtatable 1lens vframes may rotated topositionathefaxisof ani auxiliary lens y intheproper angularzposition withreference-toy lower theiuppei'rfstructure tosuitlthe ccmvenience` of thefsutijfectr. The orthotrainer isa'convenient practical;- instrumentality.' ieri' using. both opaque and transparent targets. Where transf@ parenttargets :are usedffeitherzone may bel illuminatedfseparately: The errangementof.y the tw@ knobs "|23y 'and 1.1 underneaththeorthoi trainerds convenient and: practical: 1 for the operator switching from accommodation to convergence tests, Y or vice. versa# or `*for executing .these n :iove- IIAQEtSi-J'Omflyff Thecaed testing Jcjeadv` provides support fory split slides, or straight?v ft slides Awhiclr are placed in the-grooves". Some typesoficardsarecurved in the.make-.uppandxthey maybe useddirectly in the magazine. Some details known to the art such as near and far point stops on the longitudinal shafts are not shown. Neither has it been thought necessary to illustrate the calibrations of the scales. The longitudinal scale is for measuring the reading distance from the lens system. The transverse scales are calibrated for far point and near point. They are used to identify positions of split slides when checking the improvement of the subject through a training series of targets or cards.

I claim:

1. An instrument of the character described comprising an optical lens system, a housing supporting the same, a pair of parallel shafts extending from said housing in the viewing direction, an ortho trainer unit movably carried by said shafts and comprising a base, a pair of target housings movably supported on the base, a transparent target in each of said target hous ings, a lamp in each housing for illuminating the target therein, a toothed rack on one of said shafts and a gear in the base of said unit engaging said rack for moving said ortho trainer unit along the shafts in optically viewable relationl to the said lens system and a knob for operating said gear.

2. An instrument according to claim 1 including a gearing mechanism carried by the said ortho trainer base and operatively connected to the said toothed rack and to the said movable target housings for moving said ortho'trainer unit along the said shafts and simultaneously therewith moving said target housings towards and away from each other transversely of the viewing direction in optically viewablerelation to the said lensfsystem andmeans,ioroperatingthe said gearing mechanism.

Y 3. An instrument of the character describe-d comprising an optical lens system, a housing supporting the same, a pair of parallel shafts extransparent target in each of said target heus-- ings, a toothed rack on one of said shafts, a gearing mechanism in said ortho trainer base and operatively connected to the said toothed rack and to the said movable target housings for automatically moving the latter towards and away from each other transversely of the view.- ing direction simultaneous with lengthwise movement of the ortho trainer unit on said shafts, and for moving the said target housings transversely toward and away from each other at will inde-- pendent of any lengthwise movement of said unit, two rotatable knobs connected 4to said gearing mechanism for operating the same to cause either of the aforesaid movements, transverse and lengthwise, independently of each other and' means for connecting said knobs to cause simul; taneous transverse and lengthwise movementsv as aforesaid.

4. An instrument of the character described comprising an optical lens system, a housing supon one of said shafts, a gearing mechanism operatively connected to said rack and to thesaid target housings for moving the latterl lengthcomprising sockets w-ise on the shafts or for moving said housings towards and away from each other transversely of the viewing direction independent of any lengthwise movement, or for moving said housings lengthwise on the shafts and simultaneously therewith moving the housings transversely as aforesaid, a knob for actuating said gearing mechanism to cause said lengthwise movement only, a second knob for actuating the gearing mechanism to cause said transverse movement only and means for connecting said knobs to actuate the gearing mechanism to cause simultaneous lengthwise and transverse movements as aforesaid.`

5. In an instrument of the character described, an optical lens system for viewing vision training and vision testing targets, removable lens holders supporting the lenses in said lens system, an auxiliary lens holder support, means in the latter for supporting auxiliary lenses therein and means for removably attaching said auxiliary lens holder support to the said removable lens holders with auxiliary lenses in operative optical relation to said system said removable attaching means in said removable lens holders, pins in said auxiliary support adapted to engage said sockets and springs on said auxiliary support adapted to engage underneath said removable lens holders.

HARRY S. ALEXANDER.

REFERENCES CITED l' The following references are of record in the iile of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date `'2,091,173 Wottring Aug. 24, 1937 v2,166,063 Krimsky July 11, 1939 

